Code Corner: Rental housing inspections

The City of Columbia has a Rental Unit Conservation Law that was established to keep rental housing safe and in good repair.

All residential rental properties in Columbia need to have a license to ensure they are safe and maintained. This includes apartments, duplexes, single-family homes and those who have tenants as part of their owner-occupied home.

Lease purchase or rent-to-own arrangements need to comply with the ordinance as well. Short-term rental properties need to be licensed as of June 1, 2025.

Currently, more than 28,000 housing units and nearly 10,000 structures are registered through the program. The law also allows tenants to file a complaint if their landlord is not addressing maintenance issues.

If you need to register a property you own, or if you are concerned about the rental status of a property in which you are living or that is in your neighborhood, please let the City know. To learn more about rental enforcement, contact Neighborhood Services at [email protected], call 573.874.2489 or visit the Rental Housing Compliance page.